Online Public Relations Thoughts

Daily entries on Public Relations and communications ideas and trends

Friday, May 18, 2012

Transparency

Here is an interesting Q&A with an executive who led his company through tumultuous times. Robert Shapiro was the CEO of Monsanto when the company transformed from a chemical concern to a leader in agricultural biotechnology. He lived through wars in the US and especially in Europe against genetically modified seeds. He says in retrospect he wishes Monsanto had been more transparent about what it was doing. He attributes the company's seeming arrogance to a conviction that it was right. He says Monsanto might have listened more and had "somewhat more humility." Monsanto was indeed correct in what it was and is doing to increase crop yields. Society understands that now -- for the most part. There is still opposition in Europe that may take years to overcome. Would the company have made faster progress had it been more open? There is no way of knowing, but it is good to see a former CEO suggesting that it might have.